One-button switch



May 26, 1936. A. voN KILIAN 2,042,369

ONE-BUTTON SWITCH v Filed April 23, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1936 PATENT OFFICE.

ONE-BUTTON SWITCH Albert von Kilian, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany Application April 23, 1935, serial No. 17,857

1 Claim.

This invention relates to electrical switches, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character whereby the operation of a single push button in the same direction 5 will open and close the switch with thecircuit making and breaking element thereof moving with maximum rapidity from its positions for reducing electric arcingbetween the contacts of the switch to a minimum.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a switch of the above stated character which will be simple, durable and eflicient and which may be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts `to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a vertical sectional view illustrating a switch constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the switch in circuit breaking position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the switch in'circuit making position.

Figure 3 is a side elevation illustrating the switch in circuit breaking position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end'elevation showing the circuit making and breaking element of the switch in engagement with the contacts of the switch.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the circuit making and breaking element.

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a sliding plate receiving its movement from a slidable push button.

Figure '7 is a perspective view illustrating a shifting link or member.

Figure 8 is a side elevation illustrating an actuating plate or member.

Figure 9 is a plan view illustrating the same.

Figure 10 is a plan view illustrating a modified form of my invention, that is, an operating lever forming an integral part of the rockable member of the switch taking the place of the push button disclosed in Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 11 is an .edge view illustrating the same..

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I indicates a base constructed of a suitable insulating material and has a chamber 2 in which project spaced resilient contacts 3 supported by binding posts 4 mounted to the base. The binding posts are adapted to be connected to conductors of an electric circuit, the contacts 3 being space'df'so as to interrupt the electric circuit.

" Removably mounted to the base I is a bracket 5 of substantially U-shape providing leg portions 6 and a bight portion 1. The leg portions 6 are detachably secured to the base by screws or like fasteners 8 with the bight portion traversing the chamber 2 and apertured to slidably receive a push button 9. A plate Il] is removably secured to the bight portion of the bracket 5 and carries a collar II through which the push button slides and cooperates with the bight portion in efficiently supporting the pushbutton for sliding movement. A collar or ange I2 is formed on the m push button to abut the bight portion 'I of the bracket for limiting the movement of the push button in one direction. A recess I3 is formed in the push button 9 to receive an extension I4 formed integrally with one end of a sliding plate I5 and which operates between the leg portions 6 of the bracket. The extension I4 fitting in the recess I3 will permit the sliding plate to have a limited pivotal movement with respect to the button 9. The plate I5 is provided vwith an elon- 20 gated slot I6 to loosely receive a shaft I1 carried by the legs 6 of the bracket 5 above the chamber4 2. The shaft Il forms a journal for a swingable circuit maker and breaker I8 which includes a head or block I9 constructed of a suitable insu. 25 lating material and has secured thereto spaced arms 20, apertured, as shown at 2l, to receive the shaft .I'|. One o'f the arms 20 has notches 22 and 23 which are arranged oppositelyto one another. The other arm 20 carries oppositely 30 extending stops 24 adapted to abut one of the legs 6 of the bracket 5 for limiting the swinging movement of the circuit maker and breaker I8 in either direction. 'I'he circuit maker and breaker is adapted to move outwardly and inwardly of the chamber, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The head I9 is grooved to receive a contact strip 25 provided with oppositely arranged resilientportions 26 projecting outwardly of the groove and which are adapted to frictionally engage the 40 stationary contacts 3 when the circuit maker and breaker moves into the chamber. The strip 25 frictionallyengages the stationary resilient contacts 3 so as to bridge said contacts and thereby close the electric circuit. 45 A rockable member 21 is journaled on the shaft I1 between the arms 20 of the circuit maker and breaker and includes an elongated body 28 having a slot 29 to slidably receive the sliding plate I5. The end walls of the body 28 incline 50 in opposite directions to one another, as shown at 30, and 3|. Shoulders 32 and 33 are formed at opposite edges of the plate I5 and the latter tapers from said shoulders in the direction of its free end. The tapered portion of the plate 55 operates in the slot 29 of the rockable member 21. Arcuately curved arms 34 and 35 are formed on the body 28 of the rockable member and adjacent one'end of said rockable member. The arm 34 is located at one side ofthe body of the 60 rockable member while the arm 35 is located at an opposite side of the body ofvsaid rockable` member. v

A shifting plate 36 is provided with a slot 31 to receive the shaft I1. The shifting plate 36 is located between one of the arms 20 of the circuit maker and breaker I8 and one side of the body 28 ofthe rockable member 21. Projections 38 and 39 are formed on opposite sides of the shiftable plate 36 and projections 40 and 4I are formed on opposite sides of the shifting plate 36 and lie-in close 4proximity to the projections 38 and 39. The projections 40 and 4I extend ln an opposite direction to the projections 38 and 39. The projections 38 and 3,9 alternatingly engage in the notches 22 and 23 of the circuit making and breaking element I 8 during the operation-- of the switch. The projections 40 and- 4I cooperate with the arms 34 and 35 during the operation of the switch.

A coil spring 42 is mounted to the bracket 5 and provided with spring arms 43 and 44. The spring arm 43 engages a keeper 45 on the plate I5 for urging the plate in the direction of the button 9, maintaining the extension II of the plate I5 in the recess of the button and also acting to urge the button in its outermost position with respect to the bracket 5. The resilient arm 44 is connected to the shifting plate 36 bythe push button in Figure 1 slides the plate I5.

and the shoulder 32 thereof being in engagement with the end wall 30of the body 28 of the shifting member rocks said shifting member upon the shaft I1. lAs the shifting member 21 rocks the arm 35 abuts the extension 39 of the shifting plate 36, causing a sliding movement of the latter against the tension of the spring arm 44. At this time the exenson 38 of the shifting plate 36 is overlapped by the arm 34, permitting the shifting plate 36 to pivot on the arm 34, the arm 35 advancing the shifting plate 36l by engaging the projection 39.until the projection 39 is opposite the notch 23 of the circuit maker and breaker. The arm 34l at this time disengages the projection 38 permitting the plate 36 to shift and bring the projection 39 into the notch 23. At this time the shoulder 32 disengages the end 30 of the shifting member 21. 'I'he projection 39 entering the notch 23 acts to move the circuit making and breaking element I8 rapidly into engagement with thecontacts 33. The push button 9 when manually released returns to its normal position by the action of the spring arm 43 carrying the plateI5 into the position shown in Figure 2, bringing the shoulder 33 into engagement with the extension 40 on the shifting plate and the arm 34 in engagement with the projection 38, thus positioning the parts so that on the next manually actuated movement of the push button the rockable member 21 through the shifting plate 36 causes a rapid vmovement ofthe circuit making and breaking element I8 from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 1. It

vincluding an will be understood that during this latter mentioned operation of the circuit making and breaking element the shifting plate 36 is caused to slide against the tension of the spring arm 44 by 'the arm 34 shoving on the projection 38 and the projection 39 pivoting on the arm 35 until the projection 39 rides off of the arm 35 when the projection 38 drops into the notch 22 causing 'a swinging movement of the circuit making and breaking element from the position shown in Figure 2, to the position shown in Figure 1.l

Thus it will be seen that the circuit making and breaking element has a snap action when moving from one position to another position, this movement being extremely rapid will permit the circuit lto be made and broken with minimum arcing at the contacts.

Referring to my modified form of invention, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the rockable plate 21 is substituted by a rockable plate 46 and the latter is journaled on the shaft I1 and is equipped with the arms 34 and 35. Integral with the rockable plate 46 is a lever 41 `taking the place of the push button 9. A movement of the lever 41 in one direction will rock the rockable plate 46 in one direction and movement of the lever 41 v in an opposite direction rocks the rockable plate in an opposite direction. When employing the lever 41 the plate I5 and push button 9 are eliminated and the arm 43 of the spring is anchored in any siutable way to one of the legs 6 of the bracket 5.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A switch comprising an insulating base, a bracket secured to the base, spaced contacts secured to the base, a push button slidably secured `to the bracket, a shaft secured to the bracket, a circuit making and breaking element insulated head carrying arms journaled to said shaft and a contact strip to move into andout of engagement with the spaced contacts bythe swinging movement of said element on the shaft, stops on one of said arms to engage with the bracket for limiting the Yswinging movement of the circuit making and breaking element in opposite directions, a sliding plate pivoted to the push button and having a slot with the shaft extending loosely therethrough and provided with a tapered portion, shoulders on opposite edges of said plate, one of said arms'of tbe circuit making and breaking element having notches extending in opposite directions, a rockable member journaled on said shaft and provided with a slot toreceive said slidable plate and its ends adapted to be alternatingly engaged by the shoulders of the sliding plate during the sliding movement of said sliding plate under the influence of the push button, arcuate-shaped arms formed on said rockable member and arranged upon opposite sides of the latter, a shifting plate having a slot loosely receiving said shaft, pairs of/projections on the shifting plate and one pair of said projections adapted to be alternatingly abutted by said arms and to be alternatingly engaged by the arms whereby the shifting plate will be caused to pivot rst upon one arm and then upon the other arm and to slide relative to the shaft for alternatingly engaging the other pair of projections with the notches of the circuit making and breaking element, and spring means connected to the shifting plate and to the sliding plate for vreturning the push button to its initial position when manually released and for normaly urging the shifting plate in one direction.

ALBERT voN KILIAN. 

